On news.com.au today, A Sydney woman has been accused of having two Thai slaves and using them for sex work and Western Australian wildlife workers have spotted a tragic scene after a dolphin was seen carrying her dead calf.

Nine plans still require either federal or state government approvals. But construction will be held up if Labor Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s government doesn’t tick off the groundwater plan and another plan to manage the tiny and endangered Black-Throated Finch.

Tragic photo of dolphin carrying its baby

Western Australian wildlife researchers witnessed a heartbreaking scene after a dolphin was spotted carrying the body her dead calf.

Parks and Wildlife Western Australia posted a picture of the tragic moment to their Facebook page after they found the calf tangled in a crab pot in Claremont Bay.

The dolphin's mother was swimming next to her trapped baby when the team found them, but by the time they were located the calf was already dead.

"The dead calf has since been freed from the crab pot, but remains in the water with the mother dolphin as she grieves," the wildlife service said.

"Dolphins are highly intelligent creatures and are known to stay with their young for a period of time following a death."

They added that the team would monitor the dolphin and remove the calf at an appropriate time.

"We ask the public to stay well away from the dolphin and her dead calf during this time," the post read.

"This is a timely reminder to safely dispose of all fishing lines and ropes and report any tangled wildlife immediately."

The post had attracted hundreds of comments.

"Oh this is heartbreaking. Thank you so much for allowing the mother to grieve," one person said.

"Yet again an animal suffers because of human selfishness and stupidity. Tragic loss of this baby" another wrote.One added: "Ashamed that a fellow human being caused this cruel death because they were too lazy to properly remove their gear from the river."

Sydney woman accused of possessing slaves

A Sydney woman accused of possessing two Thai slaves told the women when they arrived in Australia they each owed her $45,000 and would pay it off through sex work, a jury has heard.

Rungnapha Kanbut, 57, is on trial in the NSW District Court after pleading not guilty to six charges including intentionally possessing a slave and dealing with the proceeds of crime.

Prosecutor Peter Neil SC in his opening address on Tuesday said both of the women had been sex workers in Asia when they agreed – in 2004 and 2005 – to travel to Australia for sex work.

The prosecutor said the jury would hear that when they arrived in Sydney they were taken to live with Kanbut, who told them they each had a $45,000 debt to pay off.

Mr Neil said the first woman, who arrived in 2004 on a visitor visa and couldn’t speak English, was told to give Kanbut her passport for safe keeping. She was also told she’d be given four days off a month but that didn’t happen and she worked long days in brothels across Sydney.

He said she was left in no doubt that she had to pay off her debt before she had money for herself – with the exception of tips.

Mr Neil told the jury that in Australia the concept of slavery was “not the same as what many people in our community may consider slavery to be”.

The fact they came to Australia voluntarily for sex work didn’t prevent jurors from finding “that either or both of them was possessed – that is used – by the respondent akin to her owning them,” the prosecutor said.

But defence lawyer Jeffrey Clarke said there were issues with some of the women’s allegations but overall “the real issue here is whether or not what is being described by these witnesses amounts to slavery”.

Report on mass fish deaths completed

The final report on two massive fish kills in the lower Darling River in December and January will be handed over to the government today.

Following the mass deaths the federal government commissioned an independent assessment as well as committing $70 million to multiple initiatives to stop the killings.

“I think all Australians who saw footage of these fish deaths were deeply saddened,” Agriculture and Water Resources Minister David Littleproud said in a statement.“The federal government accepts and will address each recommendation made to it, and will work with states on others.”

Mr Littleproud said his ministry will work with the states, in particular the NSW government, on the recommendations, adding the government strongly supports the Murray-Darling Basin Plan.

Professor Rob Vertessy led the team of distinguished water scientists to carry out the research.